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Washington Businesses Hit By Tornado, Items Being Stolen

(WASHINGTON) - The west side of Washington was heavily damaged after a EF-2 tornado damaged close to 100 homes and businesses in Daviess County Sunday afternoon.

The Washington Times Herald reports, Crackers Powersports, at 400 W. National Highway, had severe damage to the building. The entire rear wall of the building collapsed, as well as the west-side of the building that housed a bass tournament fishing boat. The only thing keeping the rear portion of the structure from collapsing was a column comprised of cinder blocks.

An employee of the business says about 90 percent of the bikes, both motorcycles and mopeds, were removed from the building and had only minor damage and will be able to be repaired. Employees will attempt to salvage a much of the businesses equipment and material as they can. Currently, parts and debris lay scattered on the garage floor.

To keep looters from stealing merchandise from the showroom and the garage area, owners and employees, armed with flashlights patrolled around the building until it can be secured.

Washington Police officers, Daviess County Sheriff deputies and Indiana State Police troopers are patrolling the area and anyone caught stealing will be arrested.

Reid's Deli, 808 W. Nat'l Hwy., also sustained major damage and had trouble with people stealing items from the business. Marianne Harner, owner of Reid's, says that hams and other food items were taken. The Reid's building was severely damaged near its entrance and their coolers, located on the northeast side, were picked up and transplanted into the Washington Radio Center building. Some of the Radio Center's exterior bricks cracked causing a portion of the exterior wall to collapse.

Station owner Dave Crooks, believes the building can be repaired. They are currently broadcasting on U.S. 50 near the towers in a little building with a couple of microphones and a CD player.

The entire Washington Plaza on the west side, which is home to Hudson Office Supplies, Dollar General, Hometown IGA, Goodwill, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, among other businesses, received damage to the facade of many of the stores and the chiller from Dollar General's portion of the building, was deposited in the Reid's Deli parking lot.

Long John Silver's drive-thru ordering system was also destroyed as well as other signage for restaurant.

The entire area from plaza to the Angle Inn, which lost shingles from its roof, was still scattered with debris, including heads of lettuce, pieces of meat and salad dressing cups, as of Monday morning although cleanup efforts were under way. Several volunteers and employees of the businesses damaged were sweeping up debris and doing as much as they could without electricity.